Centering apparatus for bowling pin holders



NOV. 24, 1953 J, McGlNLEY 2,660,433

CENTERING APPARATUS FOR BOWLING PIN HOLDERS Filed Sept. 50. 1947 INVENTOR JAMES J. MC GINLEY.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 24, 1953 CENTERING APPARATUS FOR BOWLING PIN HOLDERS James J. McGinley, Williston Park, N. Y., assignor to American Machine and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application September 30, 1947, Serial No. 777,000

, Claims. l

This invention relates to bowling pin handling machines and more particularly to apparatus for centering the devices which engage and grip standing bowling pins to lift them aboveV the alley during the sweeping operation and then replace them on the alley in the same positions they occupied before being gripped and lifted above the alley.

My invention relates to improvements in bowling pin resetting apparatus of the general type shown in U. S. Patent 2,217,709 granted October 15, 1940, to Gottfried J. Schmidt. Under adverse and extreme operating conditions it has been found that the cone shaped camming members sometimes have a tendency to cock when engaging with standing bowling pins. When this occurs there is a possibility that the pin causing the cooking might not be gripped or if gripped might not be reset in exactly the same position it occupied before being gripped and elevated. Cooking also might have a tendency to dent and damage the cone.

It is therefore an object of my invention to overcome this disadvantage by providing a simple device for centering bowling pin engaging and gripping devices over the normal on spot positions on an alley where pins are spotted prior to their engagement with standing bowling pins.

Another object of my invention is to provide a bowling pin gripper centering device for use with a combined setting and resetting table which rotates 180 when placing a new set of pins on an alley.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple, reliable device for centering respotting devices over the openings in the support through which bowling pins pass to minimize the distance a horizontally movable pin gripping device travels when engaging with a standing bowling pin.

Another object is to provide a centering device which will not have any attachments connected to the bowling pin resetting units which could interfere with their being freely moved when brought into engagement with standing bowling pins.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a bowling pin respetting apparatus with which my invention may be incorporated wherein parts of the mechanism have been broken away for clarity of illustration.

2 is a side view of Fig. 1 taken along line 2 2.

Fig. 3 is a partial isometric view of the invention showing the centering device in operation.

In the drawings I have shown, for purposes of illustration, one embodiment of my invention wherein a bottom platform I0 is provided with a plurality of circular openings I2 which correspond in number and arrangement to a set of bowling pins positioned on a bowling alley. The top and bottom plates Il) and I4 are firmly held against the spacers I ii by means of nuts I8 which are screwed on bolts which pass through the spacers iii.

The pin setting holders 29 and resetting cones 20 which I have shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 may be similar in construction, design and operation to those shown in U. S. Patent 2,217,709 issued to Gottfried J. Schmidt on October 15, 1940. The pin setting holders 2e are IiXedly mounted on the plate SI and are actuated to hold bowling pins by suitable means such as suction as described in U. S. Patent 2,217,709. Each cone 20 is slidably mounted on the support I0 and has a rubber sealing ring l5 and a port I'I. When a cone 26 has been centered over a standing pin, the head of the pin will close olf the upper part of the cone from the atmosphere. The continued downward descent of the pin spotting table causes the cones 20 which have been cammed over the heads of standing bowling pins to be lifted off the lower platform I0 and continued downward movement of platform I4 brings the latter into contact with the rubber ring I5. Suction is then applied through tubes 3l and valves 39 and ports Il to cause the standing bowling pins to be gripped and the cones 20 to be secured against movement by engaging with the bottom of platform I4.

For a further detailed description of how the bowling pin resetting devices 20 operate reference may be made if desired to the above mentioned U. S. Patent 2,217,709.

The table or plate I 4 is supported by a shaft 24 on which brackets 22 fixedly connected to the plate I4, are rotatably mounted. One of the brackets 22 has a gear 2| by which the table may be rotated about the shaft 24 to bring a new set of bowling pins held by the spotter cups 29 to a position on the under side of the table I4 prior to being lowered onto the alley. A gear segment 23, pivotally mounted on a stud I9 car- Tied by shoe 26, intermeshes with the teeth of gear 2| and causes the table I4 to rotate 180 to bring the pins held by the spotter cups 23 into position to be placed on the alley.

Actuating movement is imparted to the gear segment 23 by means of a cam actuated lever 25. The cam actuated lever 25 is pivotally connected to an actuating arm 21 which forms an integral part of gear segment 23. For further. information respecting the mechanism for rotating the table 180 to place a new set of pins on the alley reference may be made to U. S. Patent 2,578,319 issued December 11, 1951, to Gottfried J. Schmidt.

The shaft 24 is xedly mounted at either end in suitable shoes 26 which travel in guide channels 26. rIhe guide shoes 26 are raised and lowered in a manner similar to that shown in U. S. Patent 2,217,709 referred to above, by means of cables 30.

In order to center the resetting cones 23, I have provided a centering plate 32 with circular openings 34 which are slightly larger than the circular openings I2 formed in table I0. Each circular opening 34 is preferably formed with a V-shaped notched section 36 which assists in centering the cones 20 over the openings I2. At the back end of centering plate 32, wire loops 33 have been employed in conjunction with the v-shaped t notches 36 and operate in a manner similar to circular openings 34. Each wire loop 33 is secured to the plate 32 by suitable clamps 35.

The links 38 and 40, which support the centering plate 32 at either end, are pivotally connected at one end to brackets 42 attached to the top plate I4. The other ends of links 33 and III are pivotally attached to suitable brackets 46 carried by the centering plate 32.

Connecting links 46 which impart longitudinal movement to the centering plate 32 are connected at one end to links and at the other end to lever arms 48. Swinging movement is imparted to lever arms 48 by the shaft 50 on which the lever arms 48 are xedly mounted. The shaft 5I), which is rotatably supported in bearing brackets 52 on table I4, also carries a lever arm 54 having a cam follower 56. The cam follower 56 is actuated by a cam 58 which is xedly mounted on the shaft 24. One end of the lever arm 54 carries a finger 60 which is adapted to engage with a notch 62 formed in a link 64. The link 64 is pivotally connected to a bracket 68, by means of pin 66. Bracket 68 is xedly mounted on the top plate I4.

A spring 'I0 is secured at one end to an anchor plate 'I2 carried by the top plate or platform I4 and at the other end to the link 54 so as to urge the cam follower 56 into engagement with the cam 58. Spring 'I0 also acts to hold the finger 60 locked in the notch 62 when these two members have been brought into engagement as a result of the turning of table or plate I4. When the table I4 descends to perform its resetting operation, the cam roller I4 mounted on the end of link 64, engages with a stationary cam I6 xedly mounted on a guide 28 thereby disengaging the finger 60 from the notch 62.

The operation of my machine may be briey described as follows:

After the second ball has been thrown suitable sweeping mechanism such as shown in U. S. Patent 2,250,503 granted July 291, 1941, to R. E. Rundell is usually employed in the type of pin handling machine to which I have referred for removing the bowling pins and the bowling balls from the alley. Suitable mechanism (not shown) is also employed in this type of machine to place a bowling pin in each of the bowling pin holders 29.

In order to place a new set of pins held by the holders 23 on a bowling alley, the lever arm 25 is actuated causing the gear segment 23 to rotate the table I4 180 by engaging with the gear 2l which is Xedly connected to the table I4.

when the table la rotates, in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 2, the cam roller 56 rides on the stationary cam 58.

When the table I4 has rotated approximately the cam roller 56 will have engaged with the high portion of cam 58. This will cause the lever arms 4S to pull the connecting links 43 in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. This in turn causes the centering plate 32 to be pulled longitudinally with respect to the bottom plate IIJ until the V-shaped notches 36 reach predetermined points where the bowling pin gripper devices 20 will be centered over the holes I2 when they engage with the respective notches 36.

The centering plate 32 is caused to be locked in this centering position by finger 611i engaging with the notch 62 of pivoted arm 64. Friction and the action of spring 'III on the lever arm 54 cause finger 60 and the notch 62 to remain in engagement thereby causing the centering member 32 to be locked against further movement until the nger G3 is disengaged from the notch 62.

At approximately the same time, the pin gripping respotting units 26 will, under the force of gravity, slide downwardly until they are stopped by the V-shaped notch 36 formed in the openings 34 of the centering plate 32.

When the table I4 has rotated 180 under the actuation of the gear segment 23 in the direction indicated in Fig. 2, the spotting cups 23 will be on the underside of table I4, and the bowling pin resetting grippers 20 will be on the upper side of table I4.

As the table I4 has completed its 180 rotation it is locked against further rotation by suitable means (not shown) and then lowered by means of cables 30 to allow the holders 29 to release and spot a new set of bowling pins on a bowling alley in proper playing arrangement. It should be noted that when the table I4 is lowered to spot a new set of pins on a bowling alley the cam roller 'I4 will travel downwardly with the table I4 on that side of the guide channel 28 which is spaced from the cam 16.

When the table I4 reaches its lowermost point of travel the pins are released on the alley and the table I4 is then elevated by the cables 30. When the table I4 reaches its upper limit of travel the actuating arm 25 is moved in the opposite direction thereby causing the gear segment 23 to rotate the table I4 180 back to its starting position.

After a player has thrown his first ball, the table I4 is lowered by means of cables, 30 down towards the bowling alley. As the table I4 travels downwardly, the cam roller 'I4 engages with the stationary cam I6 causing the notch 62 to be pulled away from the finger 6I). The spring 'I0 then by pulling on arm 54 causes the cam roller 56 to be brought into engagement with the lower portion of cam 58. This in turn causes the centering plate 32 to swing forward out of engagement with the centered respotting devices 20 through links 38, 40, 46 and 48.

As'the table I4 approaches its lowermost point of travel the heads of any standing bowling pins will pass upwardly through the openings I2 of the bottom plate lI and come into engagement with the tapered camming and gripping devices 20. As the camming and gripping devices 2l) engage with the heads of the standing bowling pins they are caused to shift laterally until they become centered over the standing bowling pins which may have been moved from their original position by the first ball. Continued downward movement of table I4 causes the standing pins to lift the cone shaped members 20 with which they engage above the plate I0 thereby bringing the rubber rings I5 into engagement with the top plate or platform I4. Suction or other suitable gripping means are then employed to causevthe standing pins to be gripped and locked against movement with respect to the platform I4.

In the machine with which the present invention has been shown for purposes o-fillustration, suction is applied through tubes 31, valves 39 and orifices Il to effect a gripping action on the standing bowling pins. For a further detailed description of this operation reference may be made to the aforementioned U. S. Patent 2,217,709.

The table I4 is then raised by means of cables 30, lifting the gripped standing bowling pins above the alley to allow the fallen pins and bowling ball to be removed from the bowling alley in the manner mentioned hereinbefore. Table I4 is then lowered again to allow the pin gripping devices 20 to replace their respective gripped pins on the alley in the same position they occupied before being engaged and gripped by these devices. After the gripped standing pins have been replaced on the alley, and the gripping devices 2D have been released, table I4 is again elevated above the alley to allow the player to throw his second ball.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a simple device for centering the bowling pin resetting members 20 over the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted. The centering device 32 that I havedescribed makes use of the normal movements of the table I4 and does not attach any encumbrances on the cone 20 which will interfere with its ability to slide when engaging with the head of a standing bowling pin, or which will add any weight to the cones 20. In other words the cone gripping devices 20 are just as free to shift laterally as they are when no centering device is employed with these cones.

My centering device also has the advantage that it engages with the center part of each cone member instead of the top or bottom thereby causing less strain and wear to be exerted on the cones 20 when the table I4 undergoes its 180 rotation.

It will also be noted that my centering device minimizes the tendency of the cone 20 to cock or become jammed when it engages with a bowling pin under adverse or extreme operating conditions due to the fact that it will never have to travel between two extreme locations as might happen if the cones 20 were not centered before being brought into engagement with the standing pins.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the struc-1 ture shown and described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a bowling pin handling apparatus of the type employing aturning table for setting and resetting bowling pins o-n a bowling alley, apparatus for turning said table when spotting a new set of bowling pins on a bowling alley, freely slidable camming devices having pin grippers positioned over openings formed in said turning table, a plurality of interconnected confining members surrounding said camming devices for limiting the extent of sliding movement of each device, mechanism for adjusting said members to further limit the extent of free sliding movement of said devices in one direction under the action of gravity when the table is turning so as to cen ter said devices with respect to the openings formed in said turning table, and mechanism for returning said confining members to normal position when said table travels vertically to allow said devices to move freely in all directions when engaging with standing bowling pins.

2. In a bowling pin handling apparatus of the type employing a turning table which rotates on a. horizontal axis for setting and resetting bowling pins on a bowling alley; freely shiftable pin gripper devices positioned over holes formed in said table corresponding in number and ar-` rangement to the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted; a centering device, having openings with a V shape at one end, associated with said table for centering said bowling pin gripping devices over said holes by means of said pin grippers engaging with said V-shaped ends each time the table is turned; mechanism for moving said centering device relative to said table to bring said V-shaped ends into and out of operative centering position; and mechanism for lowering and raising said table to grip, lift and replace standing bowling pins on a bowling alley.

3. In a bowling pin handling apparatus of the type employing a turning table for setting and resetting bowling pins on a bowling alley, freely slidable camming devices having pin grppers positioned over openings formed in said turning table, centering devices surrounding each of said slidable camming devices, mechanism for mov-l ing said centering devices with respect to said table to bring the centering devices to a position where they will engage with said camming devices when the camming devices are properly centered with respect to said openings, appara-l tus for turning said table to cause said camming devices to slide into contact with said centering devices, and mechanism for moving said centering devices out of contact with said camming devices after each camming device has been centered.

4. In a bowling pin handling device having ap paratus for supporting a plurality of pin gripper locating devices, a centering device for centering said gripper locating devices with respect to the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted prior to each gripping operation comprising, a member having a plurality of circular openings corresponding to the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted, said openings having a V-shaped notch for locating said devices when said devices are moved into contact therewith, apparatus for causing said pin gripper locating devices to move into contact with said V-shaped notches, and mechanism for moving said member longitudinelly to center said gripper locating devices over each position on a bowling alley on which bowiing pins are spotted.

`5. In a bowling pin handling device of the type employing a platform having mechanism for setting a new set of pins on the alley mounted on one side of the platform and pin gripping devices for resetting standing bowling pins on a bowling alley mounted on the other side of the platform, a device for centering said pin gripping devices over the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted, comprising a plate having a plurality of openings through which said pin gripping devices extend, said openings having a V-shaped portion for locating a pin gripping device in said opening, and a mounting for moving said plate longitudinally with respect to said platform to cause the V- shaped portion to positively locate each pin gripping device over the positions on a bowling alley over which bowling pins are spotted.

6. Apparatus for engaging, gripping, lifting and replacing standing bowiing pins on a bowling alley comprising, a support, a plurality of pin gripping devices slidably mounted on said support, mechanism for tilting said support to cause said pin gripping devices to slide with respect to the support under the action of gravity, a limiting device associated with said support for limiting the extent each pin gripping device slides on said support to position said devices on the support so that they will be centered over the pin spot positions on a bowling alley when the support is in horizontal position, and mechanism for moving said limiting device out of engagement with said pin gripping devices after said support has been returned to its original horizontal position.

7. Apparatus for engaging, gripping, lifting and replacing standing bowling pins on a bowling alley comprising, a support, pin gripping devices fixedly mounted on one side of said support, pin gripping devices slidably mounted on the other side of said support, mechanism for alternately turning said support to place a new set of pins on an alley by means of said xedly mounted pin gripping devices, and to grip, elevate and replace standing bowling pins on said alley by means of said slidably mounted pin gripping devices, a member for limiting the movement of said slidably mounted pin gripping devices each time said support is turned to place a new set of pins on the alley so as to position said devices on the support so that they will be centered over the pin spot positions on the bowling alley when the support is in horizontal position, mechanism for locking said member in position with respect to said support each time said table is turned, and means for releasing and moving said member out of engagement with said slidably mounted pin gripping devices each time said slidably mounted pin gripping devices are brought into operation to grip, elevate and replace standing bowling pins on said bowling alley.

8. In a bowling pin handling device having, pin gripper locating devices, apparatus for supporting said pin gripper locating devices, a centering device for centering said pin gripper locating devices with respect to the positions on `bowling alleys on which bowling pins are spotted prior to each gripping operation comprising, a member having a plurality of openings corresponding to the positions on a :bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted, guides for confining said member to reciprocatory .movement relative Ato said apparatus, mechanism for moving said mem.- ber longitudinally to position said .openings so that when the locating devices are brought into engagement with corresponding' parts of said respective openings, said devices will be correctly centered, means for causing the locating devices to engage said corresponding parts of the Vopenings in said member, and means for retmning said member to its original position.

9. Apparatus for Ahandling bowling pins comprising, a platform, pin gripping members slideably supported on said platform, said pin gripping members having pin contacting surfaces for centering said pin gripping members over standing bowling pins upon engagement therewith, a unitary mechanism having individual contacting surfaces adapted to engage with each of said members to center the pin gripping members on said platform over the positions on a bowling alley on which bowling pins are spotted, apparatus for moving said platform towards and away from that area of a bowling alley where pins are positioned to bring said pin gripping members into engagement with standing bowling pins, and means to position the contacting surfaces of said centering mechanism so that when the pin gripping members are brought `into engagement with the contacting surfaces, said members will be correctly centered prior to said members being brought into engagement with standing bowling pins, means for causing the pin gripping members to engage said contacting surfaces, and means for returning said contacting surfaces to their original position.

l0. ln a machine for setting and resetting bowling pins on a bowling alley, a platform having a plurality of circular openings formed therein, mechanism for moving said platform towards and away from a bowling alley, freely shiftable pinengaging and gripping devices positioned over each of said openings, interconnected guiding members having surfaces for individually engaging with each of said devices, and means to position said surfaces of said interconnected guiding members so that when the pin engaging and gripping devices are brought into engagement with said surfaces of said interconnected guiding members, said devices will be correctly centered prior to said devices engaging with standing bowling pins, means for causing the pin engaging and gripping devices to engage the said surfaces, and means for returning said surfaces to their original position.

JAMES J. MCGINLEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,283,613 Schmidt May 19, 1942 2,531,429 Hedenskoog Nov. 28, 1950 

